Whiffletree-coupling



l No. 617,577. Patented'lan. lo, |899. Af A. KAST a w. nAvslcH.

WHIFFLETREE CUUPLING.

(Application malus. 5, uns.)

(No Model.)

y @fsm NITED STATES PATENT Fries.

ANTON KAST AND YILLIAM RABIOH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

WHlFFL'ETREE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,577, dated January 10, 1899.

Application led August 5, 1898. Serial No. 687,809. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, ANTON KAST and 'WILLIAM RABICH, citizens of `the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Whiffletree-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part thereof. Our invention relates to improvements in whiftletree-couplings; and it consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts, as will .be hereinafter more particularly described in the specication and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of our complete invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of vthe same taken on the line os oc of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail plan View of one of the sections, and Fig. 4 is also a detail plan View of the other section.

The objectof our invention is to construct a simple and practical whiftletree-coupling,

whereby the parts comprising the same mayv be readily cast without the employment of hand labor, usually necessary to fit the'parts; and it consists of two friction or bearing plates, each of which is provided with concentric grooves forming concentric ribs,which coperate in a manner to be hereinafter described; an extension forming a part of the lower plate and provided with a slot,the lower plate also provided with an extension or lip having a curved slot; a brace the lower end of which is provided with ahook which is received by the slot of the extension of the lower plate; a heel forming a part of, said brace and received bythe curved slot of the lip forming a part of the upper plate; a securing-bolt passed through the upper end of the brace and remaining parts comprising our invention, and in other details in the construction and arrangement of parts,as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the transverse draft-bar of a shaft or pole of a vehicle, to whichis secured the lower sec-v tion of our invention, and 2 the whiffietree, to the opposite ends of which the traces are attached and to which is secured the other section. The lower bearing-plate 3 is provided with a rear extension 4, which is provided with a slot 5, and forming an integral part of said plate and depending therefrom is a right-angular extension 6,which, together with the plate 3, embraces the draft-bar 1 and is secured to the latter in any suitable and mechanical manner. The upper surface of the plate 3 is provided with a series of concentric grooves 7, forming similar ribs 8, and formed on the lower surface of the upper bearing-plate 9 are also formed concentric grooves 10, forming similar ribs 11, the grooves on one plate receiving the ribs of the other plate, whereby when the plates are united all draft is removed from the securing-bolt Where the said plates cooperate, and

further serve to thoroughly retain the lubricating material desired to be used to cause the plates to freely turn upon one another.

Forming an integral part of the upper bearing-plate 9 is a lip 12, having a curved slot 13, the lower surface of said lip bearing upon and in movable contact with the upper surface of the extension 4. of the lower plate 3.

In order tothoroughly relieve the securingbolt 2O from all strain when draft is applied to the whifiietree, we employ a brace 15, the lower end of which terminates in a hook 16, which is received by the slot 5 of the extension 4. of the plate 3, and forming an integral part of said brace is a heel 17, Vwhich is received by the slot 13 of the lip 12, forming a part of the upper plate 9, the vsaid heel and its cooperation with the said slot serving to llimit the movement of the whiflietree in either direction, and thus dispensing with the ordinary straps and other devices used for this purpose. The upper end of the brace 15 is provided with an opening 18, and secured to the upper curved surface of the `whifietree and interposed between the lat- ICO simple and durable whilietree-coupling, but one that will withstand the rough usage to which the same is necessarily subjected, the bolt for securing the several parts being relieved of all strain and wear, and consequently the coupling will remain in perfect operative condition notwithstanding the constant strain brought upon it.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim is- A whiffietree-coupling comprising two bearin g-plates, concentric grooves formed on the contacting surfaces of said plates leaving similar ribs, an extension forming an integral part of the lower plate and provided with a slot, a right-angular extension also forming a part of said plate, a lip extending from the upper plate and provided with a curved slot, the lower surface of said lip bearing upon and in movable contact with the upper surface of the extension of the lower plate, a brace the lower end of which is provided with a hook which is received by the slot formed in the extension of the lower plate, a heel also forming a part of the said brace and received by the slot in the lip of the npper plate, a plate secured to the upper surface of the whiiiletree, a bolt passed through the upper end of the brace and a nut adapted to be screwed on the lower end of said bolt, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we aliix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ANTON KAST. VILLIAM RABICII. Vitnesses:

ALFRED A. MATHEY, C. F. KELLER. 

